Answer: As far as Florida driving tests go, parallel parking is rarely tested however; you will be required to pull into a parking space marked by traffic cones on either side. If you hit one of the cones either when pulling into the space or backing out, it will be considered as an automatic failure. Remember to use your turn signal to indicate which way you will be turning when entering or backing out of a parking space. You will also be tested on where to turn your wheels when parking on a hill, with or without a curb. Since Florida doesn’t have too many hills to perform this maneuver on, you may just have to explain to the driving examiner how you would turn your wheels when parking on a hill.

It’s graduation season and a lot of young people will be celebrating a significant milestone in their lives but for some, that celebration could be their last. The risk of being involved in a serious crash is high on graduation night for a lot of reasons;

Emotions are high – Strong emotions, even happy ones, can be distracting to a driver and lead to poor choices.

A sense of freedom – Sometimes young people feel that first step into adulthood means the old rules no longer apply.

A recent survey conducted by two Washington State universities and published in JAMA Pediatrics reveals some disturbing information on teens when it comes to driving stoned. While far fewer would drive drunk or ride in a car with a drunk driver, the survey shows that at least 44% of males and 9% of females reported driving after using marijuana and over 51 percent of males and nearly 35 percent of females reported getting in a car with a driver who was high on marijuana. Read more: College Freshmen Drive and Get in Cars with Drivers After Marijuana Use

Question: I heard that it is legal to drive solo to school and back on a learner’s permit; is this true?

Answer: No. Almost every state in the US requires that a driver holding a learner” permit be accompanied by a licensed driver over the age of 21 in the passenger seat at all times while driving. Short trips to the store and driving to school and back are not allowed and could lead to suspension of your license.

The statistics don’t look good for teen drivers and parental involvement to reduce the rate of teen crashes is more important than ever. Teens are involved in more crashes per mile driven than any other age group and are involved in seven times as many crashes per mile driven than drivers in their 40’s, 50’s, or 60’s. With prom and graduation season approaching, New Canaan CT Police Chief, Leon Krolikowski, writes about the dangers faced by teen drivers and the need for parental involvement to keep teen drivers safe behind the wheel. Read more: Good time of year to remind teens why it’s worth driving safely